This is an example of a programme for AI that we would send out to a client once an AI date has been booked. We have attempted to answer a few of the most commonly asked questions.

1. Don’t worry if you don’t have teaser tups. They help during the early season to get the ewes over the first infertile cycle of the year but are not vital for success. Regulin has the same effect.

2. Sponge insertion is not nearly as vital as sponge removal. To make this easier we have given you all morning to get them in.

3. PMSG: The most common is the Intervet product., each ml or cc of this has 200 iu (units of activity) in it.

4. You take the teaser tups out when the sponges are in, you put them back in when the sponges are pulled. This shows you when the ewes come into season and after AI helps the ewes ovulate.

5. This is important. On concrete is best with a little bedding. This means the rumen does not obstruct AI.

6. Don’t worry if numbers are not exact – it is only a rough guide for us.

7. Make sure you order your frozen semen in writing (see order form in back) and double check with us that it has arrived.

8. Additional info – just confirms any unusual details that may apply.

Embryo Transfer Programmes

Similarly this is an example of an ET programme with some commonly asked questions.

1. The only drugs that you will receive from us are the drugs for super-ovulation (Pluset or Ovagen).

2. The ‘Donor’ ewe is the ewe providing the embryos (sometimes called eggs – not strictly true as eggs implies that they are unfertilized). The ewe receiving the eggs is the ‘Recipient’.

3. As with the AI programme the sponge insertion time is not critical, removal time is critical.

4. Some vets are reluctant to hand out estrumate. If this proves difficult then it is not vital to the programme and may be dropped, otherwise get the vet out to inject it.

5. Ovagen/Pluset is the drug used to super-ovulate the ewes. Gimmers usually require less and the dose must be accurate.

6. This programme includes instructions for the ‘recipients’ or ewes receiving the embryos as well as the ‘donors’.

7. Donor ewes must be starved prior to any operations which in their case is the AI and the ET. The recipients just need to be starved for the transfers (last date). Starving must be at least 12 hours to partially empty the rumen, 24 hours is best as the rumen will have lost 1/3 of its volume in this time.

8. A clean, flat, concreted, covered, relatively dust free environment is required for embryo transfer.